JHL (09.02.2011 - Juhani Artto)
Collective bargaining in the municipal sector came to a head on Tuesday with
the employer side offering a concrete offer. The proposal consists of a 0.8
pay rise for all on May 1 and a 0.7 locally negotiable pay rise on September
1. On an annual basis the rise for 2011 would thus remain below 1 per cent.

Considering that inflation runs at around 2.4 per cent or even more the
employers' offer would mean, in real terms, a reduction of municipal
employees' purchasing power by about 1 per cent, says Tuire Santamäki-Vuori,
the President of The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL.

JHL and the other unions representing the municipal employees
rejected the employers' offer outright, maintaining that the pay rises were
too low. The unions' goal is to reach an agreement, which would uphold the
purchasing power of municipal employees.

The parties will meet again on Thursday February 10. If they do not reach a
settlement by then, the present collective agreement can be called off by
February 15, to become effective on February 28.